#1 Best Overall
7.9Good
Informed Choice-certified fizzy tablets with 300 mg sodium and 1 g sugar per 16 oz: clean, affordable everyday and workout hydration, but light for salty sweaters.
Informed ChoiceGF Certified+3
5 videos$0.75/serving
Category
Hydration & Electrolytes
Electrolyte mixes decoded: who needs extra sodium, and who just needs water
- Products scored
- 7
- Average score
- 7.4
- Video reviews
- 28
Top picks
Our favorite hydration & electrolytes
#2
Pedialyte
Classic Electrolyte Powder Packets
7.5Good
The pharmacy-standard rehydration mix: 260 mg sodium, 180 mg potassium and 6 g sugar per 8 oz packet. Dependable when sick, but pricey per ounce.
Kosher
2 videosHydration & Electrolytes
#3
7.5Good
Coconut-water-based mix with 240 mg sodium, 310 mg potassium and no added sugar, plus published batch test results. Clean and tasty, but pricey per serving.
3rd-party testedKosher
4 videos Shop$1.71/serving
The essentials
What to know about hydration & electrolytes
Electrolyte drink mixes promise better hydration, and in the right situations they deliver. When you lose fluid through heavy sweating, vomiting or diarrhea, you also lose sodium and other electrolytes, and a drink that replaces both can help more than water alone. Oral rehydration solutions (ORS) are the medical version: glucose helps the small intestine absorb sodium, and water with it, so the World Health Organization's reduced-osmolarity formula pairs 75 mmol/L of sodium with 13.5 g/L of glucose.
Needs vary widely. Among athletes, sweat rates typically run from about 0.5 to 2 liters an hour and whole-body sweat sodium from roughly 10 to 70 mmol per liter, so two people doing the same workout can lose very different amounts of salt. That is why the American College of Sports Medicine recommends individualized fluid plans.
On ordinary days, most people do not need added electrolytes. Americans already average about 3,400 mg of sodium a day, well above the 2,300 mg limit in the Dietary Guidelines, so for desk days and short workouts, water and regular meals are usually enough.
Every product
All hydration & electrolytes we’ve reviewed
7 products
Best Overall
7.9Good
Informed Choice-certified fizzy tablets with 300 mg sodium and 1 g sugar per 16 oz: clean, affordable everyday and workout hydration, but light for salty sweaters.
Informed ChoiceGF Certified+3
5 videos$0.75/serving
Pedialyte
Classic Electrolyte Powder Packets
7.5Good
The pharmacy-standard rehydration mix: 260 mg sodium, 180 mg potassium and 6 g sugar per 8 oz packet. Dependable when sick, but pricey per ounce.
Kosher
2 videosHydration & Electrolytes
7.5Good
Coconut-water-based mix with 240 mg sodium, 310 mg potassium and no added sugar, plus published batch test results. Clean and tasty, but pricey per serving.
3rd-party testedKosher
4 videos Shop$1.71/serving
7.5Good
A doctor-developed, ORS-style mix with 330 mg sodium per 8 oz, one of the stronger drinks in its class, backed by a small randomized trial. Pricier than it looks.
Kosher
4 videos$1.12/serving
Trending
7.3Mixed
1,000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium and 60 mg magnesium with zero sugar. Excellent for heavy sweaters and low-carb eaters, but far more salt than most desk workers need.
3rd-party testedcGMP
5 videos$1.50/serving
Best Value
7.2Mixed
Zero-sugar, stevia-sweetened mix with potassium and magnesium but only 55 mg sodium. Great for flavoring daily water, far too light for heavy sweating or illness.
Non-GMO
4 videos$0.53/serving
Trending
Liquid I.V.
Hydration Multiplier
7.0Mixed
America's best-known electrolyte stick: 560 mg sodium, 370 mg potassium and 11 g sugar per packet. Handy for sweaty days, but pricey and sugary for everyday sipping.
5 videos$1.56/serving
Buying guide
How to choose hydration & electrolytes
The five things we look at first — and what they mean for you.
- 01
Match sodium to how much you sweat
Sodium is the main electrolyte lost in sweat, and mixes range from under 100 mg to 1,000 mg per serving. Whole-body sweat typically carries about 230 to 1,600 mg of sodium per liter, and athletes commonly lose 0.5 to 2 liters an hour, so long, hot sessions can cost several grams. Heavy or salty sweaters need the high end; most casual exercisers do not.
- 02
Use a true ORS when you are sick
For vomiting, diarrhea or heavy fluid losses in the heat, choose a product formulated as an oral rehydration solution rather than a lifestyle mix, and mix it exactly as directed. WHO's formula pairs 75 mmol/L of sodium with 13.5 g/L of glucose; pharmacy brands follow the same principle at different strengths. Seek medical care for infants, symptoms lasting beyond a day, or signs of severe dehydration such as confusion or fainting.
- 03
Decide how much sugar you want
A little glucose aids absorption and helps fuel long workouts, but some lifestyle sticks add 10 g or more of sugar per serving, while zero-sugar mixes use stevia, monk fruit or sucralose instead. For daily sipping at a desk, a low- or zero-sugar mix, or plain water, usually makes more sense; during long endurance sessions, a drink with carbohydrate can help.
- 04
Compare cost per bottle, not per stick
Check how much water each serving is meant for: some sticks make 8 oz and others 16 to 32 oz, so a mix that looks cheap can cost twice as much per bottle. Among the mixes we reviewed, the cost to fill a 16 oz bottle ran from about $0.53 to about $2.25. Tubs and tablets tend to be cheapest, while single-serve sticks charge for convenience.
- 05
Check testing and your health needs
Named programs such as NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Choice matter most for drug-tested athletes, and a published certificate of analysis adds confidence. If you have high blood pressure, heart or kidney disease, or have been told to limit sodium or potassium, ask a clinician before using electrolyte mixes regularly, especially high-sodium ones.
Head to head
Popular comparisons
Zero-Sugar Electrolyte Drink Mix vs Sport Electrolyte TabletsHydration Multiplier vs Sport Electrolyte TabletsSport Electrolyte Tablets vs Replenisher Daily Electrolyte Drink MixHydration Multiplier vs Zero-Sugar Electrolyte Drink MixZero-Sugar Electrolyte Drink Mix vs Replenisher Daily Electrolyte Drink MixHydration Multiplier vs Replenisher Daily Electrolyte Drink Mix
Ingredients
Compare by ingredient
Video reviews
What creators say about hydration & electrolytes
Frequently asked questions
Key sources
- World Health Organization and UNICEF: Oral rehydration salts: production of the new ORS (2006)
- Sweating Rate and Sweat Sodium Concentration in Athletes: A Review of Methodology and Intra/Interindividual Variability (Sports Medicine, 2017)
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Sodium in Your Diet
- MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine): Dehydration
Who needs a high-sodium electrolyte mix?
Mainly people who lose a lot of salt: endurance athletes, outdoor workers and anyone who sweats heavily for long periods, especially in the heat. Whole-body sweat sodium ranges from about 10 to 70 mmol per liter between people, so a salty sweater can lose several times more sodium than a light sweater in the same session. People told by a clinician to increase their salt intake may also benefit. For short workouts and desk days, food usually supplies plenty.
Is it bad to drink electrolytes every day?
Not necessarily, but it is often unnecessary. Americans already average about 3,400 mg of sodium a day against a recommended limit of 2,300 mg, so a daily stick with 500 to 1,000 mg of sodium can push intake higher with no benefit if you are not sweating much. People with high blood pressure, heart disease or kidney disease should check with a clinician. On most days, water is enough.
Are electrolyte drinks better than water?
Sometimes. The American College of Sports Medicine says drinks with electrolytes and carbohydrates can offer benefits over water alone under certain circumstances, such as long or intense exercise. MedlinePlus notes that mild dehydration can often be treated with water, while sports drinks may help when you have lost electrolytes. During vomiting or diarrhea, an oral rehydration solution is the better choice.
What is the difference between an oral rehydration solution and a sports drink mix?
An oral rehydration solution is designed to treat dehydration, pairing sodium and glucose in roughly equal molar amounts because glucose drives sodium and water absorption; WHO's reduced-osmolarity formula contains 75 mmol/L of sodium and 13.5 g/L of glucose. Sports and lifestyle mixes vary widely, often with less sodium, more sugar, or added vitamins and flavorings. When you are sick, choose a product labeled for rehydration and mix it exactly as directed.
Are electrolyte drinks safe for kids?
Young children are more likely to become dehydrated from diarrhea or vomiting, so for a sick child use an oral rehydration solution made for children and follow the label; Pedialyte's classic powder packets, for example, are not for children under 1. Ask a pediatrician before giving any rehydration drink to an infant. For everyday play, water and regular meals are usually enough, and adult mixes should be checked for age guidance first.
Learn
Go deeper
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Electrolytes 101: Sodium, Potassium, and When You Actually Need Them
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